THE DON'S SECRET OBSESSION ( His Bride, Her Prison)

I never wanted any part in this. But I have no choice. With a deep sigh, I force down an invisible lump in my throat, looking up at the priest. I press my fingers tighter into the flower I am holding, hoping it hides how much I am shaking. Dreading the words the priest is about to utter. "Do you, Ariella Cecilia Boone, take Dermos Salvatore to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The priest asks. I blink. I badly want to say it, badly want to scream that I am not Ariella Cecilia Boone. My lips tremble as I force the truth down my throat, "Yes, I do." I murmur, my voice a little over a whisper. ~~~~ Ariel Hannah Boone didn't know what life had in store for her when she woke up on her twin sister's wedding day, only to find out her sister had run away. She went into panic when her mother insisted she take her place because Dermos Salvatore was no man to joke with. Dermos was the most feared Don in the whole of Sicily, one who killed without care. A blood thirsty murderer with no remorse. In an attempt to save her family from his wrath, she takes her sister's place at the wedding. Pain, suffering, and betrayal are all she knows the moment she became his. Secrets begin to unveil as she realises her family isn't what it seems. And when whispers of her sister's disappearance reach her, she finds out the truth. He never wanted Ariella; it had always been her. Ariel has to choose between a love built on lies or betraying her sister and family. She was his bride, and he was her prison, yet he would never let her go.

Chapters

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

The ride back to his home is one of the longest ever. I literally press myself into my seat, trying hard not to feel depressed as I think of how I always thought I would have a magnificent wedding.

Now, I am sitting in my husband's car, drenched in blood in my sister's wedding dress.

This sucks, my whole life sucks.

And the deathly silence in the car isn't helping a bit.

Dermos is seated beside me and pretending that I don't exist, while Carlos drives the car, a Tesla.

The silence gets to me until I can't stand it anymore. My head slowly turns to look at him, my husband.

I see now that he is buried in his phone.

"Are we close?" I can't help but ask. The dress is sticky and itchy, plus the idea of someone's blood drying on me makes me want to puke.

"Soon be there, Mrs Salvatore," Carlos responds while Dermos doesn't even move an inch as if he didn't hear a single word I said.

Instead, he remains deep into what he is typing on his phone, not even sparing me a glance.

I take that as my cue to shut up. Slowly letting my body slide down the seat, I once again turn my head to stare out the window.

The road is empty, devoid of life, just endless green trees. Lord knows where he is taking me to.

Will I ever become who I have always dreamed of being? Will I ever open my boutique? Or is my life as Ariel Hannah Boone over?

I don't get to think too much when the car swerves. The buzzing sound of a giant gate pulling open has me sitting up straight.

"Whoaaa!!" I can't help the gasp that escapes my lips at the sight before me.

It's a freaking mansion. The whole place is like an estate, the building is so big and painted completely cream in colour with some gold streaks attached to it. As we drive in the long concrete aisle filled with guards on both sides, in front, I see a big fountain; it's so large I can't help but gasp.

The whole place is so beautiful, I snap my head to the side only to find a maze made out of beautiful flowers.

I wasn't expecting this at all.

The car comes to a quick halt, and Dermos pushes his door open without even sparing me a glance.

I don't really mind; the less attention he gives me, the better it is for me to pass with my act as Ariella.

"Come on, Mrs Salvatore, I will show you to your room." Carlos' voice draws me out of my thoughts. He's the only one making an effort to be nice.

I nod, quickly rushing out of the car as I march behind him. The door squeaks open, revealing the largest living room I have ever seen.

It looks like a hall, and has different couches placed at strategic places with a wide plasma hung on the wall. A beautiful chandelier hangs from the ceiling.

Everything is painted in cream and gold.

Classy.

Is this my new home or my new hell? I can only wonder.

My lips are parted in amazement as I tug my hair from my face.

Let's do this.

"What the hell?" I can't help the words tumbling out of my lips as the door to my room creaks open.

The room is large, but every single piece of furniture is pink. The bed, drawer, closet, and down to the damn TV.

What the hell? I hate pink, that's Ariella's best color– oh crap.

"You don't like it? Don said it was your favourite color–"

"Of course, I love it. Thank you." I cut him off, swallowing the lump of disgust I feel rising up in my throat.

"Alright, settle in. The Don will be with you soon." He says, a small smile gracing his lips, yet the way his eyes twinkle gives me the creeps.

"Thank you," I repeat, shuffling backward. He nods, then turns, pulling the door open before walking out.

My heart drops as I force back tears from dropping.

Don't cry. This is nothing to cry about. I clench my jaw tight. Just how long can I cope?

"I hate you," I whisper with my eyes closed, pretending Ariella is right here with me.

It is something I heard so many times from her, but I never had the guts to say it back to her face.

Ariella's words from a few years back slam into me, causing my breath to seize. It's not true. "You always take everything from me, but still, you never amount to anything."

My knee buckles as I slump on my bed, not mine. It's hers.

She wasn't right. I never took things from her. My whole life has been hell because my sister hates me, thinking I take what she wants.

This is the only time I accept that because I am married to the man of her dreams.

How will I do this? When she gets back, what will happen? Where did she run to? What if Dermos finds out?

A sharp sting bites into my skin, causing me to realise that I am still in the bloodied dress.

Moving my body on autopilot, I push out of the bed, stalking to the bathroom to bathe and change. My body goes through the motions without my mind.

Once done, and wrapped in a comfy robe. I step out of the bathroom only to meet a figure standing in front of my window.

"Ahh!" A tiny scream tears out of my lips as my body jolts up in surprise.

I didn't hear him come in. Dermos is now dressed in casual joggers and a sweatshirt that still manages to show his ripped arms.

His green eyes look deeper, much darker than I saw earlier, his blonde hair now gelled to the back, giving his face a younger, and much hotter look.

Damn, he is handsome.

"What are you doing here?" I murmur, forcing my eyes not to rake down his body again.

I can't look at my sister's husband.

She will be back soon, and I will leave as if all this never happened. I will go on to achieve my dream, I will open my boutique, and get my master's degree. I will prove her wrong.

Once she is back, I will forget all this ever happened, so that means I can't find him attractive.

"What do you mean? We are married, and this is our first night, so I am here to have sex." He states plainly.

My eyes widen as my arms automatically fly to my mouth, and I stumble backwards, causing my robe to open slightly, showing an eyeful of my boobs.

"Don't look." I cry out, snapping my hand forward to cover my pride.

His lips twitch as a sly smirk covers his lips, "Why shouldn't I? You are my wife, aren't you?" he asks, raising his eyebrows at me. "Are you shy? That is surprising."

Shit! Ariella wouldn't make a big deal out of this. I have to think fast.

My lips move as a fake hard cough splutters out of my lips, my hand slams to my chest as I keep the fake cough coming.

"Honey, please, can we postpone it? I am not feeling quite well, and I wouldn't want to give you the flu." I lie through my teeth, hoping I sound convincing enough.

His eyes squint as he watches me for a while before nodding. He pushes himself off the desk where he had leaned before stalking to the door.

"Well, this is quite odd, Ariella. I expected that you would easily adjust," He says, pushing the door open before leaving.

Shit! How would Ariella have handled this? Perhaps she would have thrown herself at him.

We aren't best of friends, so the only side I know is the bitchy hateful witch side she constantly showed me.

Ping.

My eyes snap to my phone lying on my bed with the screen now on. I move over, grabbing the device to check it.

My whole being freezes at the text displayed on the screen. I stumble backwards, letting the device out of my hand.

It can't be. It has barely been a day.

Continue to next part

On our wedding night, my Fated Mate, Alpha Cedric, left our bed to care for his mistress. He told me our marriage was just an obligation. But the real betrayal came months later on a rooftop. When Rogues demanded a trade, Cedric didn't hesitate. He chose to save Jayden because of her "heart condition," handing me—his pregnant wife—over to the killers. "You are stronger," he said as he pushed me toward them. I fell from the building. I survived, but our unborn pup didn't. Instead of comfort, I woke up to handcuffs. Cedric believed Jayden’s lies that I staged the kidnapping for attention. He threw me into the dungeon, shackling my wrists with silver cuffs that burned my flesh, while Jayden poisoned my food with wolfsbane. He stripped me of my title and dignity, never realizing that the "fragile" woman he protected was the true monster. He didn't know about the glowing rune on my chest counting down the seconds I had left. He didn't know I was the legendary White Wolf, and my time was up. On my final night, I asked for one last ride on the Ferris wheel where we first met. At midnight, as Cedric rushed back to the amusement park, he didn't find a body. He found only my empty clothes and a text message on the seat. "Don't look for me, Cedric. I'm giving my wolf back to the moon." As he watched the security footage, he finally saw me dissolve into stardust and ascend to the sky, leaving him alone in a world that suddenly felt too quiet.

Mafia Romance Werewolf

9.1

His Unwanted Fiancée Was His True Savior

9.1

I was standing in five thousand dollars of hand-stitched lace when I received the medical report. My fiancé, Dante de Rossi, the future Don of Chicago, had gotten another woman pregnant. He didn't apologize. He didn't beg. He looked me in the eye and called it a "strategic necessity." "Isobel saved my life five years ago," he said coldly. "I owe her this child. You will raise it as your own. It is the price of the Peace Treaty." He forced me to cancel our engagement photos so he could take them with her. He took her on the vacation meant for our honeymoon. At dinner, he ordered me the seafood risotto, completely forgetting my deadly shellfish allergy, while fussing over Isobel’s water temperature. When I tried to leave, he cornered me. "You are a mob wife, Nina. Act like one. She is the hero who saved me." I wanted to laugh. Because five years ago, in that alley, Isobel wasn't even there. I was the one in the mask. I was the one who stitched his femoral artery and saved his life, risking my own medical license. He was destroying our twenty-year relationship to pay a debt to a liar. I didn't scream. I didn't fight. I simply picked up a red marker and walked to the calendar. On the day of our wedding, while Dante stood at the altar waiting for his obedient Queen, I was already boarding a one-way flight to the other side of the world. I left him nothing but four words scrawled across the date: "Let's break up, Dante."

Action Mafia Romance

7.6

His Unwanted Wife, The Rival Don's Queen

7.6

The gunman pressed a Glock to my temple and gave my husband a choice. "One walks out. One stays. Choose, Mr. Underboss." I wasn't worried. I was Haven. I was his wife of ten years, his Consigliere, the woman who built his empire. Beside me sobbed Gemma, a fragile twenty-two-year-old he had known for six months. "Take Gemma! Leave Haven!" Connor screamed, his honor twisting into something unrecognizable. He walked out of the warehouse with another woman in his arms, leaving me to be butchered. I didn't wait for the bullet. I threw myself through a glass window into the freezing canal. I survived the fall, but the life inside me didn't. After five years of failed IVF, the miracle baby I hadn't even told Connor about was gone. While I lay in a cold hospital room, bleeding out the remains of our child, my husband was buying diamond earrings for the woman who had set me up to die. When the doctor tried to sedate me for the surgery, I grabbed his wrist. "No anesthesia," I commanded. "But the pain..." "I want to feel it," I said, staring at the ceiling. "I want to feel every scrap of him leaving my body." I burned that pain into my soul. Then, I went home, poured gasoline over our wedding bed, and lit a match. Two years later, I returned to the city. Connor thought I was dead. But when he saw me on the arm of his mortal enemy, wearing the crown of a rival Queen, he realized his mistake. He didn't just lose a wife. He started a war.

Mafia Modern Romance

8.6

Mafia Betrayal: Her Escape From Darkness

8.6

The Maybach glided through rain, Dante's cold cedar cologne a familiar comfort. Seven years, my life revolved around him, my fingers on his suit cuff, a silent promise. But tonight, our normal shattered with a single phone call. He answered, speaking rapid Italian – a language he thought I didn't understand. Every word: a death knell. Confirming his engagement to Sofia Moretti, dismissing me as a 'consolation prize.' Seven years of loyalty vanished. His loving mask back, he left for his fiancée. I stumbled into freezing rain, recalling my foster past. My numb fingers dialed his mother, Isabella, demanding fifty million for my silence. Her insults didn't sting. The true gut punch: Sofia's Instagram, a prenup on Dante's desk, proudly showing *my* watch, captioned: 'Fourteen days left.' This wasn't their celebration; it was my death sentence. I wouldn't stay another day in this gilded cage. My old duffel bag, packed, waited. The Australia brochure, a childhood dream, in my pocket. This time, I would live for myself, and they would all pay.

Action Mafia Modern

9.6

Marked by My Secondhand Delivery Wolf

9.6

To save on the outrageous wages of hired movers, I, Jade Lawson, bought a werewolf who had been returned three times from a secondhand trading site. The seller warned me he was vicious, wild, and prone to biting. What caught my eye wasn't his temperament. It was his build. Six foot three, solid muscle, the kind of body that looked like it could haul six hundred pounds of packages without breaking a sweat. When he arrived, he was indeed vicious. He kept sneaking into my room at night, pressing his scorching body against mine and grinding his teeth against the back of my neck. I thought he was teething. Or worse, developing rabies. I contacted the seller immediately to request a return. After hearing my description, the seller went quiet for a long time. "We don't recommend returning him." "He's not teething. Werewolves only feel the urge to bite the back of their mate's neck during their rut phase. It's a mate-marking instinct." "He wants you. He's trying to get you to bear his pups."

Mafia Romance Werewolf

7.3

Marrying The Rival: My Ex-Husband's Despair

7.3

I stood outside my husband's study, the perfect mafia wife, only to hear him mocking me as an "ice sculpture" while he entertained his mistress, Aria. But the betrayal went deeper than infidelity. A week later, my saddle snapped mid-jump, leaving me with a shattered leg. Lying in the hospital bed, I overheard the conversation that killed the last of my love. My husband, Alessandro, knew Aria had sabotaged my gear. He knew she could have killed me. Yet, he told his men to let it go. He called my near-death experience a "lesson" because I had bruised his mistress's ego. He humiliated me publicly, freezing my accounts to buy family heirlooms for her. He stood by while she threatened to leak our private tapes to the press. He destroyed my dignity to play the hero for a woman he thought was a helpless orphan. He had no idea she was a fraud. He didn't know I had installed micro-cameras throughout the estate while he was busy pampering her. He didn't know I had hours of footage showing his "innocent" Aria sleeping with his guards, his rivals, and even his staff, laughing about how easy he was to manipulate. At the annual charity gala, in front of the entire crime family, Alessandro demanded I apologize to her. I didn't beg. I didn't cry. I simply connected my drive to the main projector and pressed play.

Mafia Modern Romance

THE DON'S SECRET OBSESSION ( His Bride, Her Prison)

Chapter 2

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